


gentle descent to seabed

by byeolbit



Series: these deep blue waters [4]
Category: VIXX
Genre: Gen, Hongbin is trash, M/M, So much romance Kong nim would judge you, Wonshik is smoother trash, relatively independent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-23
Updated: 2019-05-23
Packaged: 2020-03-10 03:31:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,255
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18930400
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/byeolbit/pseuds/byeolbit
Summary: The rising tide interrupts them, water reaching up to their toes before receding. If Hongbin was more poetic, he would say the waves are hesitant to interrupt the new romance that has bloomed overnight.





	gentle descent to seabed

**Author's Note:**

> [Reading Playlist](https://open.spotify.com/user/d85j7u05ru0qurbm8ledtk3dy/playlist/3XJG6kefp7Ivohw92KgFg9?si=J1PB5P3XTWWrGzqgcgI0og)

"I don't think I ever expected to run into you here" Wonshik says over the music. It's dulled down compared to the dance music on earlier in the night but still loud enough to stifle conversation. The crowd on the dance has whittled down to couples slow dancing or kissing.

"I don't normally come here" Hongbin admits. This pub is out of his way and he barely has enough time or strength left after working both his jobs to wander far.

"Hakyeon hyung has some family issues going on so I'm free from housekeeping duty for now" Hongbin tells him by way of an explanation.

"Yeah I noticed he cancelled his classes for the next week. Didn't show up to lab either" Wonshik recalls. "I hope everything is okay."

Hongbin nods in agreement. The explanation is probably a lie and an excuse to spend time with the stranger that has effectively moved in. It's funny because Hongbin was sure Hakyeon hyung didn't believe in love or romance and all of a sudden he's head over heels for this stranger.

Speculation aside, it isn't his place to gossip about his personal life with Wonshik who is simply Hakyeon's student. So he lets the topic slide and focuses on his food. 

Honestly, Wonshik's presence is unplanned. The postgrad student happened to find Hongbin who originally came here alone to grab dinner and a few drinks. Hongbin invited him to join him, given how crowded the pub was and how some company was better than none.

It may also have to do with his slight attraction to said student.

Hongbin met Wonshik last year when he came home from the institute with Hakyeon, carrying some of assignments Hakyeon had to work on grading. Wonshik had his long hair pulled back into a ponytail and wore t-shirt on jeans but had looked incredibly attractive to Hongbin.

Hongbin knew he wore his heart on his sleeve so he hadn't acted on his crush. But the universe had other plans clearly as Hongbin kept running into Wonshik. Now that he knew the man, it felt like Wonshik was everywhere. It was a small town but it wasn't that small Hongbin swore.

And so he had resigns himself to living with his feelings and waiting for them to fade away. 

When he looks to Wonshik sitting on the opposite side of the booth and how his dark brown hair reflected the neon disco lights he thinks, fading away could wait one more day.

They talk about the news and the happenings around the small town. Wonshik tells him about the new research at the institute. He has a way of explaining complex topics that helps Hongbin understand his research so it becomes infinitely more interesting than listening to Hakyeon talk about the same.

Wonshik's nose scrunches and Hongbin smiles involuntarily at how cute it looks. How cheesy, he mentally berates himself. But a little self indulgence is fine as long as Wonshik doesn't know. 

Wonshik is blissfully unaware, talking about how Finding Dory and royal blue tangs and how they are endangered species that should really be protected better and not commercially exploited. Hongbin admires his passion for his field of research.

"Do you want to get out of here?" Wonshik asks, once the number of empty drink glasses is more than the table can hold and their combined tab might render them broke if they go on. They've crossed their alcohol limit three drinks ago and the pub offers nothing appealing to divert them any longer.

Hongbin agrees. The idea of not having to scream over the amplifiers is very appealing to his throat. (And under the street lights, he can probably admire Wonshik better.)

It's quiet outside the pub when Hongbin follows Wonshik out. The silence ahead is deafening and the music fades the further they walk. The hum of the crowd is replaced by a silence that is typical of urban nightscapes. The quiet is only disturbed by sounds of the engine of a passing car or the buzzing of air conditioners and generators outside residential buildings.

The neon lights of signs outside all day convenience stores is brighter than the flickering street lights but Wonshik isn't worried. He navigates it with a practiced ease that tells Hongbin he has walked this route multiple times.

They pick up more drinks from one of the convenience stores on the way. The buzz of alcohol has Wonshik in high spirits and he hums along to the song that was playing in the club before they left. He even break dances to make Hongbin laugh and Hongbin giggles because Wonshik is so cute. His long skinny legs make it funnier for some reason but Hongbin cannot comprehend why.

The cashier couldn't care less. She occasionally glances to make sure they aren't shoplifting but goes back to texting almost immediately. Once the boys leave, they resume walking to the seashore. The cold soda is sobering and conversation flows smoothly between the two.

As soon as they near the beach, Hongbin feels the wind get stronger and warmer. The sound of the waves hitting the rocks and the light from the lighthouse hit him together. It's an amusing sound gradient. From electric synth to city silence to water against rocks.

Wonshik guides him through the narrow alleyways that warp around the houses and the lighthouse and open to the beach. They kick off their shoes and Hongbin shivers a little when the sea breeze hits him.

"Are you cold?" Wonshik asks. Hongbin shakes his head but Wonshik didn't wait for a response to shrug his jacket off and put it around Hongbin. The closeness makes Hongbin blush and he is viscerally aware of Wonshik's body but isn't prepared for it being brought into the forefront of conscious thought suddenly.

"Won't you be cold then?" Hongbin asks, when Wonshik moved away and he pulls his jacket close. It's very warm and soothing. It triggers relaxation and exhaustion both at the same time in him.

"I'm used to it" Wonshik shrugs.

"Do you sneak out often then?" Hongbin asks. He remembers his college days and how he would often wander off to his friend's room to play games instead of studying. Wonshik's method is to sneak out onto the beach clearly and said man's guilty smile confirms his suspicions.

"I like walking around the beach at night. It's quiet and peaceful. Let's you think" Wonshik explains. 

They dispose of the bottles by the recycling bins and kicks off their shoes and socks to feel the sand beneath their toes. The sand is wet and smooth since the tide receded barely an hour earlier. More of the beach is visible than Hongbin has ever seen in the early mornings when the high tide returns.

"Do you always have a lot on your mind?"

"Not really. But something about the beach makes a person philosophical."

Hongbin hums in agreement and they walk in silence till they find a spot to sit down on. They've been walking forever and his feet are grateful for the break. It's quite a long walk, Hongbin realizes belatedly. It didn't feel like it in Wonshik's company.

Wonshik sits down next to Hongbin. Their hands are very close and Hongbin's hand inches closer to Wonshik's. Their fingers don't touch but they could and Hongbin lets unsaid possibilities linger between them. It's as infinite as the grains of sand that like in between. Innocent and infinite, each just within reach should he gather the courage he needs.

Wonshik is quieter now. Their surroundings have rendered him sober and he looks more peaceful now. His serene smile calms Hongbin down too (though the nervous arrhythmia of his heart never really leaves). He looks out towards the sea and Hongbin looks to him.

"Do you know why I chose to study marine life?" Wonshik asks, his gaze not moving from the sea.

Hongbin shakes his head. Wonshik accurately takes the silence for a no.

"My grandmother was born in Japan. She moved to South Korea to be with my grandfather. She would tell me stories that her grandparents told her" he narrates, laying down so that his head lay on Hongbin's lap.

Hongbin hums in response. The nerves in his thigh are frayed, tingling on contact. The thin denim of his skinny jeans does nothing to prevent the warmth of Wonshik's cheeks seeping in.

"She belonged to a family of fishermen and women. She talked about different types of fish and different tides and different ways of catching them. She told me many myths of the sea" he continues. 

"What kind of myths?"

"Of dragons that ruled the waters. Of a lost continent that lay submerged just off the edge of the island and in the middle of the vast east ocean. It had been lost many years ago and the people turned to sea creatures."

"That sounds a lot like the story of Atlantis."

"The folktale says that the people of Mu used so much black magic that the gods got angry and submerged their land. The good people they took pity on were given a chance to start over on Atlantis."

"That didn't end very well did it?"

"Not really. Humans never learn."

"I thought that when I grew up, I would be an adventurer. I would travel the seas and see all the wonderful things for myself."

"Did you see many wonderful things?" Hongbin asks curiously.

"Nothing that compares to you" Wonshik replies honestly. He traces random doodles on Hongbin's thighs and kisses the area closest to his lips. Hongbin can feel the silhouette of his lips and his toes curl in response to the physical action. 

Hongbin's cheeks are red and this is the influence of alcohol he will swear later. Or probably the euphoria that comes from having your attraction reciprocated. Hongbin leans down and kisses Wonshik and his brain scrambles to find which of the two excuses to blame for that burst of courage. Wonshik hesitates at first but kisses him back and his brain throws itself out of the window at a breakneck speed.

Wonshik sits up and takes Hongbin's face and kisses it properly. His lips are as soft as the hands running through his hair and Hongbin melts, pliant under his affections. It's the effect of the sea air and the salty soda they've been drinking that Wonshik tastes salty and lemony. Hongbin thinks it's a wonderful departure from the sweet lips stereotype.

Wonshik takes his jacket off from Hongbin's shoulder and pulls the neatly tucked white T-shirt underneath out of his jeans. His hands roam under it as he deepens the kiss and Hongbin moans every time Wonshik's fingers brush against his nipples. 

He pushes Wonshik's plaid over shirt off and unbuttons the shirt underneath. He kisses down the center of his neck to as low as he can go on his chest. Wonshik throws his head back and groans. When Hongbin pulls away, Wonshik chases. He kisses him on the neck and squeezes his waist. Both locations have heightened sensitivity and Hongbin whimpers when his body demands release of all the tension building up.

"My apartment isn't far away from here" Wonshik proposes. He leaves butterfly kisses all over Hongbin who doesn't really need incentive to agree.

"I don't know. The atmosphere is kind of romantic here" Hongbin teases. Wonshik laughs and Hongbin grins too. Kissing under the stars with the sounds of waves in the background is not all that bad. Not bad at all really.

Wonshik gets up first and pulls Hongbin up as well. Hongbin stumbles and Wonshik secures him by putting his arms around his waist. Hongbin's eyes twinkle when Wonshik uses the proximity to kiss him again.

"I've wanted to do that for a very long time" Wonshik confesses, resting his forehead on Hongbin's. Their height difference is negligible so their noses and lips align perfectly, Hongbin notices.

"And was it worth the wait?" Hongbin whispers. Wonshik can probably feels his lips move with how close they are. 

Wonshik grins before lifting Hongbin up slightly and kissing him. Hongbin yelps before kissing him back. What cheesy nonsense is this? He didn't think anyone would ever sweep him off his feet literally. The force and speed with which Hongbin falls deeper for Wonshik could put dangerous whirlpools to shame. 

Kissing Wonshik is like drowning but discovering you can still breathe on the other side. A heady rush of harsh bubbles foaming against your skin which then gives way to the still deep waters where everything else is obscured except the way the gentle descent to the seabed feels.

They kiss for a long time once Wonshik sets him down. The rising tide interrupts them, water reaching up to their toes before receding. If Hongbin was more poetic, he would say the waves are hesitant to interrupt the new romance that has bloomed overnight. But he isn't a poetic man. (He'll learn that Wonshik's romanticism makes up for it later).

Hongbin pulls Wonshik along to further inwards, walking back to the city roads but still holding hands so they don't let the other go. The sun starts to rise along with the morning tide. They've spent the entire night outside but they don't care. 

The waters are coloured gold and red and Wonshik's brown eyes have flecks of golden in them. Hongbin's black hair actually has brown highlights which are visible in the sunlight. It's only the beginning of them exploring each other.

**Author's Note:**

> [Twitter](https://twitter.com/starryfics1?s=09) | [Tumblr](https://vixxscifiwritings.tumblr.com) | [CuriousCat](https://curiouscat.me/poojamk15)


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